China achieved a significant milestone in employment in 2024, creating 12.56 million new urban jobs, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. This announcement, made on Tuesday, highlights the nation's ongoing efforts to bolster employment amid global economic challenges.
The surveyed urban unemployment rate stood at 5.1 percent in 2024, a slight decrease of 0.1 percentage points from the previous year. \"The employment situation remained generally stable,\" stated Lu Aihong, spokesperson for the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, during a press conference.
Employment among individuals lifted from poverty saw a notable boost, with over 33.05 million people gainfully employed by the end of 2024. This reflects China's commitment to sustaining poverty alleviation achievements through stable employment opportunities.
Digital transformation in social security also saw progress. The number of social security card holders reached nearly 1.39 billion by the end of last year, including 1.07 billion digital social security card users. Social security cards are available in both physical and digital formats, with many individuals opting for both.
Lu emphasized the ministry's dedication to enhancing workforce skills, mentioning that over 12 million individuals obtained vocational skill-level certificates or professional qualification certificates in 2024. \"We have strengthened the standardized management of vocational competence assessment,\" Lu added.
Looking ahead to 2025, the ministry plans to implement a targeted employment support program focusing on key sectors, industries, urban-rural grassroots, and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. This initiative aims to establish a mechanism for collecting and releasing information on job positions related to major projects, further stimulating employment growth.
The ministry is also set to accelerate the development of policies to enhance the private pension system's appeal, encouraging more participation and strengthening social security.
By the end of 2023, human resource service agencies have played a crucial role in employment facilitation. \"There are 70,000 human resource service agencies operating across the country, employing 1.06 million people,\" said Zhang Wenmiao, an official with the ministry. Throughout 2023, these agencies provided services to 300 million workers and 55.99 million employers, with approximately 40 percent of these employers in the manufacturing sector.
Addressing youth employment remains a top priority. The ministry announced plans to introduce a youth job creation program in 2025, including measures to boost employment for college graduates. \"We will organize a series of activities to promote employment and entrepreneurship among young people,\" said Chen Yongjia, another official with the ministry.
Reference(s):
China adds 12.56m new urban jobs in 2024, employment situation stable
cgtn.com
